feedback required on kerala travel agent

scavenzer

Hi,

I am planning kerala tour in next month and want to choose one of the following travel agents.

1. Kairali Holidays 'www.kairaliholidays.com'
2. Sanguine Holidays 'www.sanguineholidays.com'

Have anyone in this forum has availed package tour from above travel agents?
Can you please share experience with me?
Do these travel agent fulfill the promise the made?
I need your feedback as I will be booking oneof the above tour in coming 2 days.

Regards

snonymous

I have just been quoted for an itinerary in May from [1]Sanguine and [2] Murugesan, and would also be interested in any feedback. Thanks

snonymous

Murugesan is Inspire Kerala Holidays. He has quoted 36K for 2 ex COK airport by AC car with 3nts Thekkady 4nts Munnar and 1nt Thattekadu with b/f & d at the former 2 and all meals at Thattekadu. Sightseeing of my choice with the car at our disposal throughout. Seems fair.

Sanguine still hasnt got back to me.

vandy

The price seems reasonable, things to confirm with
Tour Operator, Type of Car,and Names of accom,so that you can check accom suitabality.
I would not be too keen in Travelling those Distances in an old Ambassador car.

30,000rps would be more around the mark.

vandy

ranjan154

There are lots of on line travel agents in India, hence it is difficult to recommend any online travel agency barring few exceptions.Moreover, the general perception is that most of these travel agencies are good and take care of their clients as much as possible.

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Rakesh Ranjan
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/travinfoindia/

vandy

Have a look at this site.

http://www.keralatourism.org/travell...33230&pageno=1

There's some good info here that could give you
more of an Idea re Prices,Etc.

vandy

snonymous

I was contacted by several tour operators after I posted on the Message boards of Keralatourism.org and have finalised with Murugesan through this contact.

The state run ktdc.com also does fair priced customised packages incl. car, meals etc in their own properties, and they respond very promptly to all queries. I was most impressed. Unfortunately their properties were booked out on my dates.

Sanguine never got back to me after the initial e mail exchange so I have dropped them altogether.

We've now booked with Murugesan of Inspire Kerala for a 9nt customised pkg with AC Indica at our disposal throughout, in reasonably good hotels with B/f & D thrown in, and sightseeing entirely as per our choice. I think it is a fair price considering that it is peak time at Thekkady and Munnar, and Kerala hotels are overpriced at the best of times compared to many other states. Even if we had arranged the car and hotels separately the costing would more or less have been the same. My better half insists on a certain standard of hotel, although I am quite happy with cheaper options. The last time we were at Thekkady we stayed at the Tamil Nadu Irrigation Dept guest house within the sanctuary for the princely sum of INR 200 per day incl. meals in a suite of rooms - huge but basic. The caretaker Mohan cooked us excellent meals and we ended up overeating because the food was so homely, fresh and good !

I will post our experiences after our trip.

Nick-H

Perhaps rethink the Indica?

This is city run-about car, with barely room for the day's shopping in the back, let alone the luggage of a couple on a nine-day tour --- but you're in India, so you must be aware of this, I guess.

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Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

snonymous

For 2 people with just one suitcase [with folding bags inside for exotic plants and other en route shopping !], an AC Indica is very comfy and more than adequate. I know because one of cars is a beat up old Indica which we still use for short trips out of Bombay - especially for bad roads. Our old faithful has survived the abominable post monsoon "roads" of Maharashtra which couldn't possibly be worse than anywhere else. The Indica may look shoddy but has the most leg room in the rear, in its class. Strictly okay only for driver + 2.

Incidentally, if you are interested, we did a month long road trip about 17 - 18 yrs ago in a non AC Maruti van, from Mumbai to Cochin via Ooty and Mudumalai and returned via Calicut Mangalore Mahabaleshwar and Pune. This was while the Konkan railway was being built and many sections of the coastal highway were mere rubble. We did the entire trip without so much as a flat tyre much to our own surprise ! Another time we took the same Maruti van [this time fitted with an AC] to Bangalore and Madras to attend some weddings - no problems at all.
Contrary to most peoples opinions, I have also found the back seat of the Ambassador to be very spacious and comfortable for long journeys, again strictly for 2. Nowadays we dont see many Amby's in Mumbai although I have spied a bright magenta shiny Ambassador sporting a Breach Candy Club sticker, parked on my road every now and then.

jasim

I am about to book with this tour operator and would like to know your experience with them.
Thanks.

snonymous

Hello Jasim

We were quite satisfied with the service provided by Murugesan. He asked us to pay 40% advance to a bank account and provided a proper invoice and receipt. We were met at the airport by a good car and safe driver. He was honest and provided what we paid for. Only one thing to watch out for.

If your first stop is at Munnar there is no problem, you pay him the balance and he gives you all the hotel vouchers. But, if your first stop is not at Munnar, please clarify from him in advance whether the driver will have the hotel voucher for wherever you are halting at first, or do you pay the hotel charges and adjust the balance payable to Murugesan. Whatever balance you have to pay, pay cash especially if Munnar is not your first stop. This is just in case your driver runs out of money and asks to you pay for fuel which you can easily adjust in the balance if its a cash payment.

Ask for driver Munis if he's available. We had 3 different drivers, all were very courteous and safe but there was something extra nice about Munis.

Have a nice trip.

jasim

Hi Snonymous,

Thanks very much for your tip. We will watch out as our first stop will be at Varkala.

Jasim